History

Risi e bisi is the canonical Venetian Republic dish, traditionally served to the Doge in the Doge's Palace on the Feast of St Mark (25 April) using the first peas of spring. The texture is risotto-but-looser, somewhere between a soup and a risotto, made with the pea pods reduced to a broth (the canonical version uses both pods and peas). It is on the menu at every spring carte from Vini da Gigio to Anice Stellato, and the proverbial Venetian saying goes that it should be ne troppo brodoso ne troppo asciutto (neither too soupy nor too dry).

Common allergens: Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 45 minTotal 1 hr 10 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 320g Vialone Nano rice
  • 1kg fresh peas in the pod (yields 400g peas and 600g pods)
  • 100g pancetta, diced
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 80g butter
  • 1.5 litres vegetable or light chicken stock
  • 50g grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • Chopped parsley to finish
  • Sea salt, black pepper

Method

  1. Shell the peas. Set the peas aside. Boil the pods 30 minutes in the stock, then puree and strain back into a pan to keep warm.
  2. Sweat the onion and pancetta in 40g butter over low heat 10 minutes until soft.
  3. Add the rice, toast 2 minutes stirring.
  4. Add the peas, stir, then start adding the warm pod broth one ladle at a time, stirring continuously. The texture should stay loose throughout.
  5. Cook 16 to 18 minutes, adding broth as needed. The finished texture should be wet enough to ripple when shaken, looser than a standard risotto.
  6. Off the heat, beat in the remaining 40g butter and the grated Parmigiano. Adjust salt. Finish with chopped parsley.

Tip from the editors. Vialone Nano is the canonical rice; Arborio or Carnaroli work but are starchier and tend toward stiffness.

Where to eat risi e bisi

Risi e bisi in Venice

Vini da Gigio ★ 4.5

Italian€€Wed-Sun 12:00-14:30 19:00-22:30

Vini da Gigio is lazzari family trattoria on calle stua in cannaregio with a 1,200-label cellar that locals book first and tourists rarely find.

Why locals love it: Lazzari family trattoria on Calle Stua in Cannaregio with a 1,200-label cellar that locals book first and tourists rarely find.

Tip: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Book a week ahead. The wine cellar is the reason; ask Laura Lazzari for pairings.

Calle Stua Cannaregio 3628A, 30121 Venezia VE

Osteria Anice Stellato ★ 4.4

Italian€€Tue-Fri 19:00-22:00, Sat 12:30-14:00 19:00-22:00

Osteria Anice Stellato (Italian) in Venice: Book a canal-side terrace table in summer. Closed Mondays. Bigoli in salsa and marinated anchovies are the moves.

Why locals love it: Tucked on Fondamenta de la Sensa in far Cannaregio, the canal-side dining room is a 25-minute walk from San Marco that most visitors never reach.

Tip: Book a canal-side terrace table in summer. Closed Mondays. Bigoli in salsa and marinated anchovies are the moves.

Fondamenta de la Sensa, Cannaregio 3272, 30121 Venezia VE

Trattoria alla Madonna ★ 4.1

Italian€Thu-Tue 12:00-15:00 and 19:00-22:00, closed Wednesday

Trattoria alla Madonna near Rialto in San Polo is the 1954 lunchroom with two-course Venetian set meals at €18, the canonical mid-budget classic fish.

Try: Bigoli in salsa with fritto misto

Tip: Walk-in only. Arrive 12:00 for lunch or 19:30 for dinner. Closed Wednesdays.

Calle della Madonna 594, San Polo, 30125 Venezia VE

Bistrot de Venise ★ 4.2

BrunchRenaissance-recipe lunch carte€€EUR 35-80Daily 12:00-15:00 and 19:00-22:30Booking recommended

Bistrot de Venise near San Marco runs the only Renaissance-recipes lunch carte in Venice, with 14th-century Anonimo Veneziano dishes for a fascinating brunch.

Order: Renaissance saor of sole, medieval risi e bisi

Tip: The historic-tasting carte needs 48 hours' notice. Lunch service runs 12:00-15:00.

Calle dei Fabbri, San Marco 4685, 30124 Venezia VE

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